Manna Grocery celebrates 30 years

Published: Monday, April 12, 2010 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, April 11, 2010 at 11:08 p.m.

Independently owned natural food store Manna Grocery & Deli was the first of its kind in Tuscaloosa.

Frances Drennen and her then-

husband Earle Drennen first entered the natural foods business in the early 1970s with Harmony Natural Foods on University Boulevard. Both students at the University of Alabama, the pair decided to introduce Tuscaloosa to the idea of eating whole foods, as opposed to processed food. Frances Drennen said they had passion without business experience and learned by the “bootstrap method.”

“When Earle and I were young people in the early ’70s, we both had been exposed to the idea of eating natural foods,” Drennen said. “We ended up with a store because there was no place else in town at that time to buy natural foods.”

The store evolved into what became Manna Grocery on McFarland Boulevard. While Frances and Earle are no longer married, they have remained business partners and will celebrate Manna’s 30-year history in Tuscaloosa this month with food specials, speakers and live music and entertainment.

“We celebrated our 25th anniversary, but 30 years is a milestone in timing for us as a natural food store,” Frances Drennen said.

Years before alternative products like tofu, brown rice, rice cakes and soy milk showed up on supermarket shelves, they were available first at Harmony Natural Foods and then Manna Grocery.

“Back in the ’70s on the Strip, we had to make whole wheat bread and grow alfalfa sprouts and wheat grass to sell because they weren’t in distribution yet,” Frances Drennen said.

The store regularly researches and brings in new products for customers to try, a move that Manna has done from its earliest days.

Manna also has served lunch six days a week almost since it first opened its doors on 15th Street in 1980 (the store moved to its present location on McFarland Boulevard in 1989). Frances said they didn’t initially plan to offer food service when they opened Manna, but the restaurant has become a customer favorite.

“The food is always fresh and made from scratch,” she said. “We see some of the same customers on a daily basis because they know Manna is a place where they can come to eat real food.”

Marla Spry, one of several longtime Manna customers, remembers Manna when it first opened.

“If it weren’t for Manna, Tuscaloosa would be without a natural food supply store,” Spry said. “GNC just doesn’t fill the same niche. The restaurant is great, and the wide selection of natural products is unmatched in our little college town.

“When I walk in the door at Manna, the wonderful smells flood me and bring me to a peaceful place.”

Jennifer Mullis, another longtime Manna customer, said that while she was skeptical of the store at first, she now goes there three to four times a week.

“They have the best soups and entrees, with my personal favorite being Friday’s chicken casserole. And the best part of indulging in all this great food is, it’s good for you!” Mullis said.

Their mission at Harmony Natural Foods and with Manna, Frances Drennen said, has been about bringing an awareness of natural foods.

“It’s not about the money,” she said. “We’ve been doing this for 35 years now, and it’s all about education. We’ve raised our family and made a living. We’re not rich, but we’ve done something that means something to us.”

Earle Drennen said he knows the store has made a difference in the community by educating people about nutrition and supporting other local businesses. Manna regularly offers produce from Snow’s Bend Farm; products from the Left Hand Soap Company; coffee by Higher Ground Roasters; goat cheese from Belle Chevre and Mountain View Dairy; and organic, grass-fed beef from Hastings Farm. Manna also supports the 3/50 project, which calls for spending $50 at three local, independently owned stores each month to revive and preserve local economies.

“There’s been a lot of blood, sweat and tears with owning your own business that was ahead of its time,” he said. “But when you wake up in the morning and feel that you’re impacting peoples’ lives, it makes you feel good.”

Manna will host a 30th anniversary celebration April 24 with sample product giveaways, food tastings and music by the Vogt Family Contra Band. Live music will also be featured each Saturday during April.

<p>Independently owned natural food store Manna Grocery & Deli was the first of its kind in Tuscaloosa. </p><p>Frances Drennen and her then-</p><p>husband Earle Drennen first entered the natural foods business in the early 1970s with Harmony Natural Foods on University Boulevard. Both students at the University of Alabama, the pair decided to introduce Tuscaloosa to the idea of eating whole foods, as opposed to processed food. Frances Drennen said they had passion without business experience and learned by the “bootstrap method.” </p><p>“When Earle and I were young people in the early '70s, we both had been exposed to the idea of eating natural foods,” Drennen said. “We ended up with a store because there was no place else in town at that time to buy natural foods.”</p><p>The store evolved into what became Manna Grocery on McFarland Boulevard. While Frances and Earle are no longer married, they have remained business partners and will celebrate Manna's 30-year history in Tuscaloosa this month with food specials, speakers and live music and entertainment.</p><p>“We celebrated our 25th anniversary, but 30 years is a milestone in timing for us as a natural food store,” Frances Drennen said. </p><p>Years before alternative products like tofu, brown rice, rice cakes and soy milk showed up on supermarket shelves, they were available first at Harmony Natural Foods and then Manna Grocery. </p><p>“Back in the '70s on the Strip, we had to make whole wheat bread and grow alfalfa sprouts and wheat grass to sell because they weren't in distribution yet,” Frances Drennen said.</p><p>The store regularly researches and brings in new products for customers to try, a move that Manna has done from its earliest days. </p><p>Manna also has served lunch six days a week almost since it first opened its doors on 15th Street in 1980 (the store moved to its present location on McFarland Boulevard in 1989). Frances said they didn't initially plan to offer food service when they opened Manna, but the restaurant has become a customer favorite.</p><p>“The food is always fresh and made from scratch,” she said. “We see some of the same customers on a daily basis because they know Manna is a place where they can come to eat real food.”</p><p>Marla Spry, one of several longtime Manna customers, remembers Manna when it first opened.</p><p>“If it weren't for Manna, Tuscaloosa would be without a natural food supply store,” Spry said. “GNC just doesn't fill the same niche. The restaurant is great, and the wide selection of natural products is unmatched in our little college town.</p><p>“When I walk in the door at Manna, the wonderful smells flood me and bring me to a peaceful place.”</p><p>Jennifer Mullis, another longtime Manna customer, said that while she was skeptical of the store at first, she now goes there three to four times a week.</p><p>“They have the best soups and entrees, with my personal favorite being Friday's chicken casserole. And the best part of indulging in all this great food is, it's good for you!” Mullis said.</p><p>Their mission at Harmony Natural Foods and with Manna, Frances Drennen said, has been about bringing an awareness of natural foods.</p><p>“It's not about the money,” she said. “We've been doing this for 35 years now, and it's all about education. We've raised our family and made a living. We're not rich, but we've done something that means something to us.”</p><p>Earle Drennen said he knows the store has made a difference in the community by educating people about nutrition and supporting other local businesses. Manna regularly offers produce from Snow's Bend Farm; products from the Left Hand Soap Company; coffee by Higher Ground Roasters; goat cheese from Belle Chevre and Mountain View Dairy; and organic, grass-fed beef from Hastings Farm. Manna also supports the 3/50 project, which calls for spending $50 at three local, independently owned stores each month to revive and preserve local economies. </p><p>“There's been a lot of blood, sweat and tears with owning your own business that was ahead of its time,” he said. “But when you wake up in the morning and feel that you're impacting peoples' lives, it makes you feel good.”</p><p>Manna will host a 30th anniversary celebration April 24 with sample product giveaways, food tastings and music by the Vogt Family Contra Band. Live music will also be featured each Saturday during April.</p>